'Brel' is brilliant, edgy and intense

Thursday

Jun 19, 2014 at 9:36 AMJun 19, 2014 at 1:49 PM

By Sally ApplegateCorrespondent

Marry a gifted cast to a first-rate director, and the result is a brilliant production of "Jaques Brel is alive and well and living in Paris" at the Gloucester Stage. To kick off the intimate theater's 35th season, director Eric Engel has elicited passionate, haunting and humorous performances from four fine singers – Shana Dirik, Doug Jabara, Daniel Robert Sullivan, and Jennifer Ellis.The evening is a vivid succession of dramatic Brel songs, with group numbers interspersed with solos, and humorous moods interspersed with dark moods. Engel's blocking is energetic and eccentric, a good match for Brel's songs.Among these four superb singers, the performance of Daniel Robert Sullivan is a standout. He radiates power, passion and irony, through body language, the intensity in his eyes, and superbly realized musical numbers. His ironic persona starts with "Alone" and remains through the entire evening, translating every dramatic and humorous song he performs into Brel's singular voice.Brel's message comes home loud and clear during Shana Dirik's heartrending performance of "Marieke," drawing cheers and bravas from the audience. She is enjoyably funny on the surprise ending to the song "Loved" and delivers passion in the antiwar song "Sons of".Doug Jabara fills the stage with robust joy during his exuberant performance of "Mathilde," bursting with the excitement of romantic love. His big opera-worthy voice resonates through the theater in all his Brel numbers, including "Funeral Tango" that features eccentric freeze poses and ends with him singing happily on his back on the floor and in the dramatic "Amsterdam".Jabara and Sullivan make a fun comedy team in "Middle Class" as two increasingly drunk and happy guys that get to sing some cute harmony.The beautiful Jennifer Ellis captures Brel's poignant message with a clear soprano in "My Childhood," the sweet "Old Folks" and wrapped only in a blanket in the sensual "My Death". In her touching duet with Dirik, "You're Not Alone," the two women's voices form the natural octaves of a soprano and an alto singing the same melody and it seems to add to the song's message.The four singers also form these natural octaves, as women and men singing the same melody, in a simple and touching performance of "The Desperate Ones," with a waltz rhythm adding a note of poignancy.Brel incorporates waltz rhythms into many of his songs, most notably in ""Carousel" where the four actors frantically twist and turn until they are hopelessly wrapped up together.The show ends with "If We Only Have Love," arguably Brel's best-known song. The simple clear quartet by the cast builds to a powerful final harmony.The Gloucester Stage audience delivers an enthusiastic standing ovation to both the cast and the orchestra while clapping in rhythm to Brel's music.This exceptional production continues through July 6 at the Gloucester Stage. Performances are through Sat. June 21 at 8 p.m., and Wed. June 25 through Sat. June 28 at 8 p.m. Saturday matinees are at 3 p.m. on June 21 and June 28 and Sunday matinees are at 4 p.m. on June 22 and June 29.During the show's final week there will be no performance on Fri. July 4. Evening performances are Weds. July 2 at 8 p.m., Thurs. July 3 at 7 p.m., and Sat. July 5 at 8 p.m. There will be a Saturday matinee at 3 p.m. on July 5 and a Sunday matinee at 4 pm. on July 6.Ticket prices are $40 for adults and $35 for senior citizens and students. Ticket prices for Weds. and Thurs. 8 p.m. performances are $20 for residents of Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Manchester. Proof of residency is required. A limited number of tickets is available per performance and advance reservations are advised.Season tickets offering significant discounts are also available.Call the Gloucester Stage Box Office at 978-281-4433 or check online at www.gloucesterstage.com for more information and to purchase tickets.Gloucester Stage is located at 267 E. Main St. in Gloucester. The theater is air-conditioned and handicapped accessible.